Mai Boutique Villa

We ended up booking another hotel and didn’t stay here. The time, money, and stress this whole situation cost us were really disappointing. The room we were assigned faced a busy road, with motorbikes honking all the time, including overnight. The noise meant you couldn’t properly sleep, especially from early morning. The booking site didn’t mention it, and the photos were framed to hide the street. Staff told us about the noise only at check-in, so they clearly knew about it but chose not to include it in the description. I’ve attached a video of what you can hear from the room. The room’s actual condition was noticeably worse than the polished photos, which also raised cleanliness concerns. And if something goes wrong, I wouldn’t count on staff support. Hotel employees in Vietnam are usually friendly, but the woman at reception here was openly rude, wouldn’t have a normal conversation about a refund, and refused to confirm that we hadn’t checked in.

I booked another hotel for three nights, checked out after two, and moved here. I wish I’d started at Mai Boutique Villa. I’d stayed once before for just one night while passing through Da Nang three years ago, and had been set on coming back. This time I spent four nights and would return without hesitation. I wouldn’t risk staying anywhere else in Da Nang. It’s a small boutique villa-style hotel, about 100 metres from the beach. Turn right for the busier tourist area, left for a quieter, more traditional stretch, or go behind the hotel to find where locals live and eat. The location gives you a bit of everything. The staff are genuinely helpful, friendly, and welcoming without hovering, which makes a real difference when you’re traveling solo. Rooms include breakfast, and it’s the full menu that walk-in customers pay for. There’s lots of choice, the food is beautifully prepared, and drinks include traditional Vietnamese coffees. I had a delicious salted coffee this morning. The Indian food deserves a mention too. It’s very reasonably priced and first-class. As a Brit who knows his Indian food, I thought it was excellent. There are front balconies, some private and some shared, and they’re lovely places to sit and relax. I’m writing this from one now. Highly recommended. I honestly can’t fault the place, and I’ll be back.

This was the worst part of our Vietnam trip, even though we visited many great places. Before check-in, we found out that our balcony room faced a wide road and was noisy, with traffic only easing around midnight, so sleeping would be difficult. Two days before check-in, we contacted the booking company and explained why we didn’t want to stay. They told us the hotel refused to cancel because the cancellation policy required three days. We had paid for the whole week in advance, and the hotel kept the money. When we came the day after check-in to ask about canceling and getting a refund, a hotel representative literally brushed us off. Think twice before staying here.

The hotel is about a 30-minute drive from Danang airport. The room was a good size, and the bathroom was nice and clean. There’s an on-site restaurant with various cuisines, including Indian vegetarian food. My Khe Beach is an 8-10 minute walk away, GoDanang Mall is a 10-minute grab ride, and Han market or Sontra market takes around 15-20 minutes by car.